Product disposition is the documented decision about what to do with food or another product that has failed a specification, receiving check, quality standard or food-safety requirement. The decision may be to release, hold, return, rework, downgrade or destroy the product, but the available options depend on the nature of the issue and applicable regulations.
If a delivery arrives outside the required temperature or quality specification, staff should identify and isolate the affected product, record the condition and notify the responsible manager. The product should not be used, donated or reworked until its status has been assessed and an authorized disposition decision has been made.
Product disposition determines what happens to the affected product. Corrective action addresses the cause of the deviation and helps prevent recurrence. Both should be documented when required by the food-safety or quality system.
Record the product, quantity, lot or batch, reason for the decision, person authorizing it, final disposition and any supplier or regulatory communication. Maintain traceability throughout the process.
Chef’s tip: never assume that a product can be reprocessed or donated simply because it looks acceptable. Safety, traceability and legal requirements must be verified before a disposition decision is made.
This term is one of hundreds covered in depth across OCS courses, learning paths, and 1-on-1 coaching with Chef Eric.
